Friday, March 3, 2017

Exploring Angkor Wat gets pricier despite increased numbers of tourists

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Future visitors to Cambodia may be unhappy to hear that if they want to visit the iconic Angkor Wat, they’re going to have to pay nearly double the previous admission fee.
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At the beginning of February the cost of a one-day pass to the temple went up from US$20 to $37.
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Officials justify the increase by saying that this was the first price hike in nearly 25 years for many of the sites and was long overdue.
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Angkor Wat is not the only Cambodian tourist destination to increase its prices.
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According to the English newspaper, The Phnom Penh Post, three-day passes to the Angkor Archaeological Park in Siem Reap went from $40 to $62 and week-long passes are now $72, up from $60.
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The Royal Palace in Phnom Penh was the first tourist spot to announce price increases, with fees going from $6.25 to $10. Tickets to the National Museum and Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum also rose from $3 to $5.
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“The move comes amid reports of increased tourist visits last year, but lower total revenues,” according to AFP. (sul/kes)
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